WORLD BRIEFS

IVORY COAST: Political violence as war crimes

Former youth leader Charles Blé Goudé has been charged with war crimes over his alleged role in violence linked to the disputed presidential election two years ago, state television reported Monday. Blé Goudé, who had been in hiding for 20 months before he was arrested in Ghana last week, is suspected of crimes linked to a bloody, five-month election dispute between allies of former President Laurent Gbagbo and current President Alassane Ouattara. Blé Goudé, 40, has denied any role in the violence that left 3,000 people dead. Gbagbo, who ruled Ivory Coast for a decade, is awaiting trial in The Hague for crimes against humanity.

Tanker carrying jet fuel seized

Armed men have hijacked a tanker carrying 5,000 tons of jet fuel from an Ivory Coast port and taken it off the coast of Ghana, government authorities and maritime officials said Monday. The Panamanian-flagged vessel ITRI was seized Wednesday as it prepared to deposit the Jet A1 fuel at the port of Abidjan, Ivory Coast's commercial capital. Shipowner Brila Energy said all 16 crew members were Nigerian.

EUROPE: Ice and snow disrupt flights

Hundreds of flights were canceled in Britain, France and Germany on Monday as snow and ice blanketed Western Europe. London's Heathrow Airport canceled about 130 flights, 10 percent of the daily total, compared with 20 percent on Sunday. Forty percent of flights were canceled at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris. Frankfurt airport, Germany's largest, said 180 flights had been canceled in icy conditions. In Munich, which saw more than 5 inches of snow overnight, another 200 flights were canceled. Slick roads outside Berlin caused a stretch of a major highway to be closed during the Monday morning commute.

Prime Minister David Cameron will make his delayed speech on plans to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the European Union and hold a referendum on the outcome on Wednesday. Cameron was originally due to make the speech in Amsterdam three days ago, but postponed it because of the hostage crisis at a gas plant in Algeria.